Wednesday, June 23, 2010

The Old Garden

On July 27th I should be losing my garden to the house's new owners. I'll be sad and happy about it at the same time. I've lived there for 19 years. I have a real love hate relationship with the garden. OK mostly love. But I do hate the clay soil and my neighbor's trees that shade the upper part. The RE Agents really like to keep the parties from talking to one another, but I did ask through the chain if they were going to keep the garden. The answer was yes.

Since they were going to harvest from it, I figured I'd better get those tomatoes dealt with. Last year I threw out my tomato cages since they were falling apart, rusting out, and couldn't hold up the tomatoes anymore. I wasn't about to buy cages, so staking them seemed appropriate. I'm not a staking fan, though I should be in our humid, wet climate. I just hate mutilating the plants. Those beautiful thick suckers had to come off. I mostly left two good stems to stake up. For some I couldn't bear to cut even that much off, so I left more.

I noticed a few little tomatoes forming. All the plants seem to be growing well. There is no sign of disease yet. Even the flea beetles seem to be lower in population right now. I had put out my white traps and they seemed to have suicided themselves in the soapy water.

While we were there I did a little weeding and we packed up some more of my leaves to go. I have most of the compost over here already, but not all. I'll get the rest soon I hope. When I got home I kicked myself. I forgot to tie up the cucumbers. In fact I didn't even check them. They might actually have little cukes on them. Next time.

The peas are putting out a second flush of blossoms. I'm shocked they are doing it in the heat we have been having. June is usually much cooler for us. It has felt more like July this month than June. But I'll be happy to get more peas. The lettuce isn't taking the heat nearly as well. I doubt I'll have many more harvests even from the ones in the shady part of the garden. I haven't been doing successions in this garden like I usually do. Successions take a lot of time and planning to do right. I just don't have the time now. I figured I'd survive one year without my summer and fall greens. I'll be sad about it though. I usually have lettuce except for a few weeks in August and I get brassicas all summer and fall. Transition years are so hard.

It's always tough leaving your garden behind. The first year at your new place will be difficult, esp. given the time of year it is and also I think it always takes a year to figure out what you're dealing with at a new place. Next year though will be fabulous!

It is difficult to leave a garden behind, especially one that you've got going full swing. But pretty soon you will be so engrossed in the new one that you'll hardly think about the old one. It is nice that the new owners will be continuing the garden.

When my husband and I sold not our last house but the one before where we had lived for 17 years the garden was a big selling point for the buyers. I had turned almost the whole back yard into a food garden with raised beds for vegetables and lots of fruit trees. It was really pretty. I still miss it some, although I had the same problem you have/had with shade from the neighbors trees that really limited my winter garden. Would you believe the neighbors finally cut down those nasty old pine trees just months after we moved, figures.

Transition can be so difficult. But how lucky to have appreciative buyers (who surely must be doing the dance of joy to inherit your garden!). And of course, establishing a new garden will preoccupy you a bit- but hopefully not so much you forget to tote around your camera. ;)

Glad to hear the house is selling but I know you'll miss the work you put into that space. I know the garden space was a big selling point for me in the house we bought, even though it was March. I hope the buyers appreciate all the work you've put into that garden, even this spring.

it is good karma to leave a well tended garden in the hands of ones who did not earn it ... or as my Irish neighbors used to say "You've earned another jewel in your crown." Abundance for them = abundance for you. Eager to read of your new adventures. If you need any inspiration, look at Thomas's journey since last year ...

I know it is hard to leave your old garden but I remember my joy when we bought a house and inherited a small garden. Now it will be time for you to do all the "if I had to do it over again" changes in your new place.

I am in total awe at how well you are managing two gardens in two locations - that is a real achievement and not something most people would pull off very well. Is the transition going easier since you have another (new) garden to immediately keep you occupied? When I moved from central Washington to our current location, I moved myself in late November (apartment dwelled until I could find a home and move my family over) and then purchased our home and moved in around March. We were unsure what the property was really like (sun exposure etc) and so we waited until that fall to start creating the beginnings of what is my garden here today. The upshot of that is that I missed a whole gardening season as a result and I was pretty lost without it - made the transition harder I think. I hope yours is easier since you are already getting your garden underway at your new location.

I just started my first vegetable garden and although it's not off to a super start or anything, I'm already getting attached to it. I can't imagine leaving a garden after 19 years! But I guess there's always the hope and promise of the new garden at the new house.

Johanna, I am trying to take it easy with the old garden. I am keeping it up, but the fall crops and the summer succession crops just won't be there. I don't have the time for them. But they will get the house in time for putting some fall crops in if they want to.

Ribbit, it is bitter sweet. I just hope the new people keep it up. The soil has so much work put into it. It started out as heavy clay. And well it still is, but it has so much organic matter in it that it drains well now.

Taylor, I love the weird angles too. I have all the beds going east/west for the best sun. It makes for an interesting garden. My new one won't be like that. I'm just going to put it in square. I'll miss the look, but won't miss the weird corners that are hard to get to.

Rachel, I'm hoping next year is fabulous. We won't have most of the garden even close to up until the fall. It will be too late to plant.

Jan, I couldn't imagine not doing it if they wanted the garden. I grew all those tomatoes from seed. I want them to prosper. And maybe, just maybe I'll get one or two before the closing. You never know with tomatoes.

michelle, The new one right now is too easy. I only have the one rock wall bed up and running and that is mostly all summer veggies. Barely any work at all, but tying up and weeding so far.

meemsnyc, it is.

maggie, lol I do forget the camera often enough. I really should have it tied to me so I can't forget.

Emily, I hope they do too.

EG, we are loving the new place. It is driving my crazy though to not have a yard. We won't get the landscapers in until August at the earliest. There is a lot of work that needs doing.

Ron, I've done it before. Well not 19 years. My last garden I left was only a couple years old (we didn't live in the house very long). But I did leave a garden in full swing there too.

Leslie, I really hope they enjoy it. And a little extra karma is a good thing.

debiclegg, yup we are in the blank slate area right now. I can't wait to plant things though.

kitsapFG, well it isn't as awesome as you might think. I work for myself so can work or not as I see fit. Right now I've been taking time off. It might well be a more permanent thing since work is aggravating my bad shoulder (repetitive strain issues). So I gave myself time to deal with the move. And the houses are only 15 minutes apart. So it is pretty easy to get to. I think the move is more time consuming. Trying to get a new house up is a pain. My garden is my down time and keeps me sane. Oh and before we moved here the one priority was for me to get some working bed in so I would have some garden. I love going out in the morning and checking out the veggies.

Dan, weirdly I find the garden not the hardest part to leave. I really miss my woods behind the house. I'm slowly getting used to urban living, but I go back there to take care of things and my day just brightens when I go into the back yard (the side yard is the garden). I did love the old place. The neighborhood was stunningly beautiful with all the woods. I think part of the issue is that my yard is just subsoil right now. I don't have a backyard I can go into and love. Now I'm not saying it isn't hard to leave the garden, but it was easier to do that than I thought.

thyme2garden, I think the thought of the new garden is what I'm looking forward to.

It's very nice of you to leave a well tended beautiful vegetable garden to the new owners. I would be thrilled to moved into a place with an established organic garden.Once you get working on your new garden you probably don't have time to think about the old one anymore. Looking forward to see your veggies at the new place.

Part of me would be crying whaaaaa! and the other part dancing with joy at the thought of creating something new. I love the creating part of gardening, whether it be planting, constructing or decorating with yard art. I find it all very satisfying.Have fun in your new place.

About Me

I've been gardening for almost three decades now, ever since my husband and I bought our first house. Every garden has been different. The first was small and the soil was almost pure sand. The second was larger and I had heavy clay. The third and current one which is just outside of Boston, is by far the largest even though the lot is by far the smallest. Since we bought the house new, we designed the landscaping ourselves, and the soil we added was fairly good. My challenge here is the location. We are so close to our neighbors that their houses can shade the garden.